Podcasts about Amen

PROOF WE ARE CLOSE TO THE END – Tom Donnan pt 2  Tom Donnan is back and we are so blessed to have him here with us. Every time Tom comes on to discuss current events in relation to Bible Prophecy of the end days, we are always amazed at how close we really are to the soon return of Jesus. Amen! Who's behind ChatGPT? Its CEO reportedly donated $500K to Democrats - YouTube USA airspace is being violated. Is this a sign of America's decline? Chinese satellite lasers recorded over Hawaii - YouTube This satellite is doing several test at same time. What an advancement, it was a violation of our space. BREAKING: US shoots down 2nd, high-altitude 'object' flying over Alaska | LiveNOW from FOX BREAKING: US shoots down 2nd, high-altitude 'object' flying over Alaska | LiveNOW from FOX - YouTube 2nd object https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XfKRPt0ulRM Is Revival Breaking out? REVIVAL at Asbury University: 'If God Wants It to Happen, It's Going to Happen' - YouTube Revival at Lee University Lee University Campus Experiencing Revival - YouTube Folks, as we wrap our discussion with Tom Donnan today, I want to emphasize, we are not doing this to instill fear, but hope. Hope in the Jesus. Hope in the Word. Hope that unbelievers do not have and are incapable of having – UNLESS they become a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished for us. CONTACT INFORMATION: Tom Donnan Healingthenation1776@gmail.com Book - “This Room” – www.ZoeHealingCenter.com Six free books can be found at: Home | Zoe Healing Center

John 3. 16SCRIPTUREJohn 3: 16MUSIC"Jesus, Remember Me"MARY PRAYERWe fly to your protection,O Holy Mother of God;Beneath your compassion,Hear our petitions, and rescue usfrom all temptation.O Glorious and Blessed Virgin Mary.  Amen

Opening Scripture:If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:8, 9Confession:Let us take a moment to confess our sinsMost merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Invitatory & Psalter:Lord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (O Come)The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *and raise a loud shout to him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land. Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him. The Psalms, OT and NT LessonsThe reading plan based is based on the 1979 Daily Office Lectionary Year AAFTER THE PSALMS: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.AFTER LESSONS: The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God. Sunday (3.19)Psalm 66; 67, Jer. 14:1-9, 17-22; Gal. 4:21–5:1; Mark 8:11-21 Monday (3.20)Psalm 89:1–18, Jer. 16:10-21; Rom. 7:1-12; John 6:1-15 Tuesday (3.21)Psalm 97; 99; 100, Jer. 17:19-27; Rom. 7:13-25; John 6:16-27 Wednesday (3.22)Psalm 101; 109:1–4, 20–30, Jer. 18:1-11; Rom. 8:1-11; John 6:27-40 Thursday (3.23)Psalm 69:1–23, 31–38, Jer. 22:13-23; Rom. 8:12-27; John 6:41-51 Friday (3.24)Psalm 102, Jer. 23:1-8; Rom. 8:28-39; John 6:52-59 Saturday (3.25) AnnunciationPsalm 85; 87, Isaiah 52:7–12; Hebrews 2:5–10; John 1:9-14 The Third Song IsaiahSurge, illuminare (Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19)Arise, shine, for your light has come, *and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.For behold, darkness covers the land; *deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.But over you the Lord will rise, *and his glory will appear upon you.Nations Will stream to your light, *and kings to the brightness of your dawning.Your gates will always be open; *by day or night they will never be shut.They will call you, The City of the Lord, *The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.Violence will no more be heard in your land, *ruin or destruction within your borders.You will call your walls, Salvation, *and all your portals, Praise.The sun will no more be your light by day; *by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.The Lord will be your everlasting light, *and your God will be your glory. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousness And let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us.Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsSpecial Collects:Lent Week 4Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.Annunciation (Saturday)Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for Grace O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for Mission Almighty and everlasting God, who alone works great marvels: Send down upon our clergy and the congregations committed to their charge the life-giving Spirit of your grace, shower them with the continual dew of your blessing, and ignite in them a zealous love of your Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the Lord Thanks be to God!BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

INVOCATIONLeader :  We Adore You O Christ and we bless YouAll:  Because by Your holy Cross You have Redeemed the WorldMARY PRAYERWe fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God; Beneath your compassion, Hear our petitions, and rescue us from all temptation. O Glorious and Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen.

PROOF WE ARE CLOSE TO THE END – Tom Donnan pt 1  Tom Donnan is back and we are so blessed to have him here with us. Every time Tom comes on to discuss current events in relation to Bible Prophecy of the end days, we are always amazed at how close we really are to the soon return of Jesus. Amen! Help me welcome back to the program, our good friend, Tom Donnan!  Tom, thank you for coming back on, brother! I've been looking forward to catching up with you. Amen! PROOF THE BIBLE IS TELLING THE TRUTH! WE ARE CLOSE TO THE END! GET RIGHT AND REPENT! - YouTube This guy is just an average Christian seeing the unfolding of the last days Moving closer to the Mark of the Beast, using buy gas as an example. Talks about how our minds are blinded to the truth. The fear that the Electric cars could be locked down remotely? Digital Dollar concerns Ends showing a hand reader used by Amazon  Amazon One, the new contactless way to pay with your palm - YouTube Shocking Truth: Artificial Intelligence is Harming the Church - My Experiment with ChatGPT Shocking Truth: Artificial Intelligence is Harming the Church - My Experiment with ChatGPT - YouTube Pastor Trey VanCamp gives an example of the text information brought up when asking about anxiety connected to Philippians 4.  Is this good for pastors? Is ChatGPT biased? ChatGPT SLAMMED For Being Insanely Woke, AI Is Being Programmed By Psychotic Leftists - YouTube Folks, as we wrap our discussion with Tom Donnan today, I want to emphasize, we are not doing this to instill fear, but hope. Hope in the Jesus. Hope in the Word. Hope that unbelievers do not have and are incapable of having – UNLESS they become a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished for us. CONTACT INFORMATION: Tom Donnan Healingthenation1776@gmail.com Book - “This Room” – www.ZoeHealingCenter.com Six free books can be found at: Home | Zoe Healing Center

Opening Scripture:If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:8, 9Confession:Let us take a moment to confess our sinsMost merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Invitatory & Psalter:Lord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (O Come)The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *and raise a loud shout to him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land. Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him. The Psalms, OT and NT LessonsThe reading plan based is based on the 1979 Daily Office Lectionary Year AAFTER THE PSALMS: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.AFTER LESSONS: The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God. Sunday (3.19)Psalm 66; 67, Jer. 14:1-9, 17-22; Gal. 4:21–5:1; Mark 8:11-21 Monday (3.20)Psalm 89:1–18, Jer. 16:10-21; Rom. 7:1-12; John 6:1-15 Tuesday (3.21)Psalm 97; 99; 100, Jer. 17:19-27; Rom. 7:13-25; John 6:16-27 Wednesday (3.22)Psalm 101; 109:1–4, 20–30, Jer. 18:1-11; Rom. 8:1-11; John 6:27-40 Thursday (3.23)Psalm 69:1–23, 31–38, Jer. 22:13-23; Rom. 8:12-27; John 6:41-51 Friday (3.24)Psalm 102, Jer. 23:1-8; Rom. 8:28-39; John 6:52-59 Saturday (3.25) AnnunciationPsalm 85; 87, Isaiah 52:7–12; Hebrews 2:5–10; John 1:9-14 The Third Song IsaiahSurge, illuminare (Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19)Arise, shine, for your light has come, *and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.For behold, darkness covers the land; *deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.But over you the Lord will rise, *and his glory will appear upon you.Nations Will stream to your light, *and kings to the brightness of your dawning.Your gates will always be open; *by day or night they will never be shut.They will call you, The City of the Lord, *The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.Violence will no more be heard in your land, *ruin or destruction within your borders.You will call your walls, Salvation, *and all your portals, Praise.The sun will no more be your light by day; *by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.The Lord will be your everlasting light, *and your God will be your glory. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousness And let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us.Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsSpecial Collects:Lent Week 4Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.Annunciation (Saturday)Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for Grace O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for Mission Almighty and everlasting God, who alone works great marvels: Send down upon our clergy and the congregations committed to their charge the life-giving Spirit of your grace, shower them with the continual dew of your blessing, and ignite in them a zealous love of your Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the Lord Thanks be to God!BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Some people can make big sweeping changes and overhaul their health seemingly overnight. But for most folks, real change comes in small incremental steps like drinking more water and getting more steps. Our lifestyle choices have far-reaching impacts on our health, and implementing one small change every day can lead to incredible results over time. This is why I love Dr. Daniel Amen's new book, Change Your Brain Every Day. With over 40 years of experience in clinical psychiatry and the world's largest database of brain imaging, Dr. Amen is an unmatched expert on brain health. In Change Your Brain Every Day, he shares practical daily habits you can use to gain a healthier brain one day at a time.  On this episode of The Model Health Show, Dr. Amen is back to share effective and realistic daily habits you can implement to improve your brain health and cognitive function. You're going to hear powerful insights on how quickly the brain responds to lifestyle changes, how focusing on your brain health can improve your relationships, and why making your mental health a daily practice can yield lasting results. Your brain is an indispensable part of your health, your consciousness, and your entire existence. Dr. Amen's insights and tips are life-changing, and I hope this interview resonates with you! In this episode you'll discover: How quickly the brain can respond to taking supplements. The importance of making mental health and brain health a daily practice. Why loving your brain is the first step to a healthier brain.  A powerful question you should ask yourself before making any decision. What brain reserve is, and how to build it.  How to harness the power of responsibility to improve your life.  The truth about your thoughts. How generational trauma can affect us, and how to release it. The effects marijuana has on blood flow and brain health. How marijuana usage impacts rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide in teens.  Specific tools and supplements that are effective for treating depression.  The importance of having reverence and fear for substances.  How playing racket sports can improve your brain health and longevity. The reparative effects of hyperbaric oxygen on brain health.   Why constantly learning is a powerful habit.  The connection between gum disease and brain disease.  Items mentioned in this episode include: PiqueLife.com/model - Get 15% off any subscription + free shipping!  Beekeepersnaturals.com/model --Save 20% on raw honey & other natural remedies! Change Your Brain Every Day by Dr. Daniel Amen Amen University Connect with Dr. Daniel Amen Website / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok  Be sure you are subscribed to this podcast to automatically receive your episodes:  Apple Podcasts Stitcher Spotify Soundcloud Join TMHS Facebook community - Model Nation 

GospelJohn 5:17-30 Jesus answered the Jews: "My Father is at work until now, so I am at work." For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered and said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself. And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. "I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” Reflection Jesus reveals one of the most essential things that we learn from the New Testament. And that is God dwelling in and flowing through a human being. That is the message of Jesus, and we need to believe it with all our heart that God does work through us. He dwells in us and does the things that we are called to do for our brothers and sisters. We don't do it alone. The Closing prayer Father, relieve us of the responsibility we often lay upon ourselves to be the source of the things we need to be for one another. We're not alone. We have God with us in everything He's called us to do. Amen.

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 81 Psalm 81 (Listen) Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.1 Of Asaph. 81   Sing aloud to God our strength;    shout for joy to the God of Jacob!2   Raise a song; sound the tambourine,    the sweet lyre with the harp.3   Blow the trumpet at the new moon,    at the full moon, on our feast day. 4   For it is a statute for Israel,    a rule2 of the God of Jacob.5   He made it a decree in Joseph    when he went out over3 the land of Egypt.  I hear a language I had not known:6   “I relieved your4 shoulder of the burden;    your hands were freed from the basket.7   In distress you called, and I delivered you;    I answered you in the secret place of thunder;    I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah8   Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!    O Israel, if you would but listen to me!9   There shall be no strange god among you;    you shall not bow down to a foreign god.10   I am the LORD your God,    who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.    Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11   “But my people did not listen to my voice;    Israel would not submit to me.12   So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,    to follow their own counsels.13   Oh, that my people would listen to me,    that Israel would walk in my ways!14   I would soon subdue their enemies    and turn my hand against their foes.15   Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,    and their fate would last forever.16   But he would feed you5 with the finest of the wheat,    and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Footnotes [1] 81:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 81:4 Or just decree [3] 81:5 Or against [4] 81:6 Hebrew his; also next line [5] 81:16 That is, Israel; Hebrew him (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Exodus 26 Exodus 26 (Listen) The Tabernacle 26 “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits,1 and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. 3 Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. 4 And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. 5 Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. 6 And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole. 7 “You shall also make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size. 9 You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 11 “You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole. 12 And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. 14 And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins2 and a covering of goatskins on top. 15 “You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. 17 There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; 19 and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, 21 and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under the next frame. 22 And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. 23 And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; 24 they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring. Thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners. 25 And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame. 26 “You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward. 28 The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall run from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain. 31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. 32 And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. 34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side. 36 “You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. 37 And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them. Footnotes [1] 26:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [2] 26:14 Or of rams' skins dyed red (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Nehemiah 7 Nehemiah 7 (Listen) 7 Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. 3 And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt. Lists of Returned Exiles 5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it: 6 These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172. 9 The sons of Shephatiah, 372. 10 The sons of Arah, 652. 11 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818. 12 The sons of Elam, 1,254. 13 The sons of Zattu, 845. 14 The sons of Zaccai, 760. 15 The sons of Binnui, 648. 16 The sons of Bebai, 628. 17 The sons of Azgad, 2,322. 18 The sons of Adonikam, 667. 19 The sons of Bigvai, 2,067. 20 The sons of Adin, 655. 21 The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 22 The sons of Hashum, 328. 23 The sons of Bezai, 324. 24 The sons of Hariph, 112. 25 The sons of Gibeon, 95. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188. 27 The men of Anathoth, 128. 28 The men of Beth-azmaveth, 42. 29 The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, 621. 31 The men of Michmas, 122. 32 The men of Bethel and Ai, 123. 33 The men of the other Nebo, 52. 34 The sons of the other Elam, 1,254. 35 The sons of Harim, 320. 36 The sons of Jericho, 345. 37 The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721. 38 The sons of Senaah, 3,930. 39 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua, 973. 40 The sons of Immer, 1,052. 41 The sons of Pashhur, 1,247. 42 The sons of Harim, 1,017. 43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the sons of Hodevah, 74. 44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. 45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138. 46 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 47 the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, 49 the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, 50 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, 51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha. 57 The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, 58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Amon. 60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392. 61 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers' houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise. Totals of People and Gifts 66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245,1 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720. 70 Now some of the heads of fathers' houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics2 of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests' garments and 500 minas3 of silver.4 71 And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests' garments. 73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns. And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns. Footnotes [1] 7:68 Compare Ezra 2:66 and the margins of some Hebrew manuscripts; Hebrew lacks Their horses . . . 245 [2] 7:70 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams [3] 7:70 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram [4] 7:70 Probable reading; Hebrew lacks minas of silver (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Romans 16 Romans 16 (Listen) Personal Greetings 16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant1 of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert2 to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,3 my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,4 and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers5 who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. Final Instructions and Greetings 17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites,6 and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.7 Doxology 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Footnotes [1] 16:1 Or deaconess [2] 16:5 Greek firstfruit [3] 16:7 Or Junias [4] 16:7 Or messengers [5] 16:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17 [6] 16:18 Greek their own belly [7] 16:23 Some manuscripts insert verse 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen (ESV)

A woman stands before Jesus in her sin. Accusers look on with condemnation. Then, the power of Jesus' voice rings through the crowd, and the atmosphere changes. We, too, are invited to stand before Jesus – fully forgiven. (John 7:53-8:11) ***** Welcome to Walking in the Word, the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders' Podcast. My name is Julie Jenkins. I am honored to walk with you today as we open Scripture and ask God to teach us what He wants us to know today. If you are new to our podcast, this is one of three offerings we have for you each week. On Monday, founder Kimberly Hobbs hosts Empowering Lives with Purpose – a 30-minute interview with a different woman of faith who shares the story of her life, struggles, or ministry. But what is important about each of these interviews is that they are truly not about the woman who so bravely steps out and shares her story, but each one is about shining the light on the glory of God. That kind of makes me smile, even as I say it – because God's glory is SO bright that He certainly doesn't need US to shine a light on HIM. But you know what? We GET to!! God is so present in each of our lives, but that doesn't stop the devil from trying to hide Him from us. So Kimberly's podcast is about looking beyond the schemes of the devil so we can truly see God's purpose. It's kind of like a game of hide and seek – the devil is trying to hide God's glory, and we are seeking to uncover it! And God always wins the game! On Fridays, we have a team of podcasters who host Celebrating God's Grace. This is a short podcast full of nuggets and wisdom of the goodness of God that will launch you into the weekend! And today you've happened on Walking in the Word, where we take 20 minutes to open God's Word and learn together from it – verse by verse. We are currently studying the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as we mesh them together and look at the life of Jesus as chronologically and as fully as the Holy Spirit enables us. If you are new to Women World Leaders, you can find out more about the ministry at our website, womenworldleaders.com, where you post on our prayer wall, purchase resources, and get involved in our worldwide ministry. Today's scripture comes from John 7:53-8:11. If you have your Bible opened to John chapter 7, verse 53, you likely see a notation that says that most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include this section of scripture. I do want to briefly address this. This text was passed down orally and discovered in written form as early as the third century AD, and is true to Christ's nature of compassion, love, and forgiveness – so biblical theologians throughout the years have opted to include it as part of John's writing. And I think you will see, as we study, that this narrative is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit and is a foreshadowing of Jesus' saving grace given to us through His death on the cross. Some researchers believe that this story may have originally been included in John's writings but was taken out along the way due to a discussion on paganism and a belief that this could be used to incorrectly substantiate Jesus' dismissal of fornication and adultery. Despite the background of these particular verses, as part of the Bible, they are worthy of our study and learning. But, as with all things, we should ask for wisdom from the Holy Spirit. So, as always, before we begin our study, let's pray… Dear Most Holy God, we thank you for meeting us where we are today and for giving us this particular scripture to study today. No matter its origins, we know you are a God of complete control, and you have made a way for us to read and study this narrative today – so we know you have a reason for it and something you want us each to learn. You know exactly what each of us is going through, when and where we are listening to this, and you are prepared to teach us what you want us to know. So Father, I personally give you free rein over my words and ask you to use me as you will. Please guide each listener's heart and allow her to hear directly from you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. As Jesus continues to walk toward the cross, we see his enemies, the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law, ramp up their efforts against Him. Yet, because it is not yet God's ordained time, Jesus continues teaching and preaching.  Let's begin in chapter 7, verse 53 from the New Living Translation… 53 Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home. 8 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. Where this story has been inserted, Jesus has been teaching in the temple courts during the Festival of the Tabernacles. I think it is telling that the scripture says, everybody went home, and Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives – only to return again in the morning. Have you ever been in a busy season of ministry? Maybe even the ministry of being a parent or being a caretaker for a loved one? If you have, you understand what it is like to sleep in an unusual and perhaps, uncomfortable spot, and then to wake up only to be faced with the reality of your mission again. When someone is counting on you, you have little choice but to respond. And yet, despite the difficulty of taking care of someone we love dearly, we find fulfillment in that calling – knowing that we are carrying out a purpose that God placed us on this earth to accomplish. And despite our flesh crying out and our emotions reeling, we wouldn't have it any other way. This is how Jesus lived His life on earth. Caring for a loved one – times millions! Each of us is so valuable and loved by Jesus, that despite the persecution, the exhaustion, and the fore-knowledge of upcoming pain and suffering, Jesus wouldn't have had it any other way. Because He loves YOU that much, and He knew that by getting up each morning to face the growing animosity of the people, He was accomplishing for YOU what He was sent to earth to do. So He slept on the Mount of Olives, and got up early the next morning to continue His purpose as He returned to the Temple. John 8:1 continues… A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” Make no mistake, this situation was an elaborate trap set up for the sake of tripping up Jesus. It was planned and calculated – all with disregard for the woman. Verse 4 says that the woman was “caught” in the act of adultery, but the original Greek word means that she was seized or apprehended WHILE in the act of adultery. Let's dissect this for a moment. Under Jewish law, it was necessary to have multiple witnesses before someone could be accused of adultery, and the witnesses had to agree to have seen the exact same event without question. I think we can all agree that sex, especially when it could get you in trouble with the law, would not be executed where several people could witness it. The other part of the story is that, in the case of adultery, Jewish law, according to Deuteronomy 22:22 called for the death of BOTH the man and the woman. So where was the man? Why was the woman seized and the man let go? Could the man, perhaps, have been in on the plan? It seems that that Pharisees and the teachers of the law were SO intent on trapping Jesus that they themselves had total disregard for the law AND for the nature of the woman as a human being. She was merely a pawn in their hands. Expendable, as long as they got what they wanted. So they took her to Jesus and stood her before the crowds at the Temple. This was nothing but a vain attempt to discredit Jesus in front of His listeners. Jesus preached compassion. In their minds, if He had compassion on the woman, they could accuse Him of going against the Law of Moses. And if He called for her death, He would not only be seen in a different light by His followers, but He could be reported to the Romans. And all the while, she stood there in humiliation. An object of wrath and convenience. Verse 6 continues… 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. Jesus spoke – and then He looked away. Can you imagine the power that Jesus' words carried? It is simply unimaginable to me. I remember my dad stating a word of warning and then tilting his head down and looking at me over his glasses. You know, giving me “that look.” That look that made me feel about 2 inches tall, convicting me to my core. His eyes would lock with mine, and I could tell no lies. But Jesus? Jesus didn't even have to look. His words alone were so powerful as they cut through the air that He simply went back to writing in the dust. And I bet you could've heard a pin drop in that dust. He wasn't watching – any one of the men standing there could have cast a stone. In fact, law dictated that the witnesses of the sin should be the ones to throw the first stones. But it was not to be… Verse 9… 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” Jesus spoke, and then He looked away. And each listener had a choice to make as conviction rang through the air. This is a picture of the cross that was to come. Jesus was about to bow His head in death, to say His last words as fully God and fully man, and to close His eyes, giving us each a choice. Do we focus on the sin of others, accuse them and hold them accountable as we throw stones at them? Do we acknowledge our own sin and guilt and simply slip away? Or do we stand in our sin, trusting Jesus, in His compassion and care, to offer us forgiveness as only He can? Who are you in the story? The woman was not in the right – although she was entrapped, she was in no way sinless. Yet she stood there, transfixed by the power of Jesus – ready to accept her punishment. But instead of punishment and death, she received Jesus' grace and compassion. Her struggles were likely not over, Jesus told her to go and sin no more. I can understand that calling. And I can also understand that I mess that up every day. But Jesus told her, and He tells us, if you stand by me, if you give yourself to me, I will not condemn you. Despite their elaborate plan, the Pharisees and teachers of the law sure didn't trick Jesus. And the woman's day went maybe from her worst ever, to her best ever. That's the power and compassion of the cross that only Jesus can give. Jesus fulfilled His purpose on earth – through the exhaustion and the pain of His calling – He gave His life so that you and I can stand transfixed by His power and receive His grace and enter eternity in the presence of God. Because He loves you that much. Let's pray… Dear Jesus – thank you. Thank you for your never-ending love and grace and compassion. Thank you for giving it all – even to death – so that we can live. Jesus, we do stand transfixed in your presence, longing to serve you and live for you. We humble ourselves before you as we offer you our lives. Guide us and lead us, directly into your arms. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

It's The Fourth Wednesday in Lent in the Church Calendar. March 22, 2023. This week we are following the Daily Office lectionary with an episode Monday through Friday. Praying today for Asher on the river. Our general order and lectionary comes from the Book of Common Prayer Daily Office. We'll sing “You Bring the Morning” by Andy Squyres. We'll read Psalm 101 followed by the Gloria Patri. We'll say the Lord's Prayer and the Collect of the Day. We'll then have a time of prompted prayer. If you have a prayer request please submit it here. Sign up here for the email list. Visit Patreon to give and support Morning Prayer monthly. Go to PayPal to give a one-time gift. Art: Two Poplars in the Alpilles near Saint-Rémy, 1889, Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890) Collect of the Day - Fourth Sunday in Lent - Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

It's The Fourth Tuesday in Lent in the Church Calendar. March 21, 2023. This week we are following the Daily Office lectionary with an episode Monday through Friday. Praying today for Nishah in Dubai. Our general order and lectionary comes from the Book of Common Prayer Daily Office. We'll sing “Grateful” by Stephanie Osorio and me. We'll read Psalm 100 followed by the Gloria Patri. We'll say the Lord's Prayer and the Collect of the Day. We'll then have a time of prompted prayer. If you have a prayer request please submit it here. Sign up here for the email list. Visit Patreon to give and support Morning Prayer monthly. Go to PayPal to give a one-time gift. Art: Seascape, 1879, Pierre-Auguste Renoir Collect of the Day - Fourth Sunday in Lent - Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

We get jazzed about all the new research that's coming out on the brain and how our thoughts affect every aspect of our life, especially our relationships. In this episode, we're going to dive into the latest studies that show how marriages can be enhanced by understanding how our brains work. We'll be looking at Dr. Amen's recent book "YOU HAPPIER" and dive deep on the eight aspects of brain activity that can strengthen your marriage. You're going to like this one! Enjoy!

Opening Scripture:If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:8, 9Confession:Let us take a moment to confess our sinsMost merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Invitatory & Psalter:Lord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (O Come)The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *and raise a loud shout to him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land. Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him. The Psalms, OT and NT LessonsThe reading plan based is based on the 1979 Daily Office Lectionary Year AAFTER THE PSALMS: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.AFTER LESSONS: The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God. Sunday (3.19)Psalm 66; 67, Jer. 14:1-9, 17-22; Gal. 4:21–5:1; Mark 8:11-21 Monday (3.20)Psalm 89:1–18, Jer. 16:10-21; Rom. 7:1-12; John 6:1-15 Tuesday (3.21)Psalm 97; 99; 100, Jer. 17:19-27; Rom. 7:13-25; John 6:16-27 Wednesday (3.22)Psalm 101; 109:1–4, 20–30, Jer. 18:1-11; Rom. 8:1-11; John 6:27-40 Thursday (3.23)Psalm 69:1–23, 31–38, Jer. 22:13-23; Rom. 8:12-27; John 6:41-51 Friday (3.24)Psalm 102, Jer. 23:1-8; Rom. 8:28-39; John 6:52-59 Saturday (3.25) AnnunciationPsalm 85; 87, Isaiah 52:7–12; Hebrews 2:5–10; John 1:9-14 The Third Song IsaiahSurge, illuminare (Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19)Arise, shine, for your light has come, *and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.For behold, darkness covers the land; *deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.But over you the Lord will rise, *and his glory will appear upon you.Nations Will stream to your light, *and kings to the brightness of your dawning.Your gates will always be open; *by day or night they will never be shut.They will call you, The City of the Lord, *The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.Violence will no more be heard in your land, *ruin or destruction within your borders.You will call your walls, Salvation, *and all your portals, Praise.The sun will no more be your light by day; *by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.The Lord will be your everlasting light, *and your God will be your glory. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousness And let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us.Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsSpecial Collects:Lent Week 4Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.Annunciation (Saturday)Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for Grace O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for Mission Almighty and everlasting God, who alone works great marvels: Send down upon our clergy and the congregations committed to their charge the life-giving Spirit of your grace, shower them with the continual dew of your blessing, and ignite in them a zealous love of your Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the Lord Thanks be to God!BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

What does "Amen" mean, anyway, and why does it matter to Jesus followers today?   "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." 2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV   Amen is a Hebrew word that was just kind of ported to Greek and English. The Jews were instructed to say Amen as if something was true, or finished or absolutely correct in God. Amen is often translated "truly," in scripture, too. In fact, many place in John, the words "truly, truly" or "verily, verily" are actually translations of "amen, amen."   Amen is like us acknowledging to God that something is true or complete because of what God has done. In this passage, Paul, the apostle, is telling the Corinthians that Jesus is the Amen of God. Everything is complete, true, finished in Jesus Christ.   How does this matter for us at work? I don't know about you but I get very tense when deadlines are approaching or when the pressure mounts. I can get tense and react sharply. I even do it now, when I have a deadline pending. This is a persistent problem for me. I want to remember that Jesus did his work. Everything is "amen" in Jesus. He has completed God's work. I can relax.   And I can be someone who relieves pressure at work. How can you rest in amen at work? How can you bring grace and peace to your workplace today? Ask God to show you and then get to work.   Also, take a minute and pray for this ministry. God has finished his work. We want to rest in him, and be a blessing to people. We're donor supported, so if this podcast or our online community are a blessing to you, would you pay it forward so others can also take part. Head over to https://followerofone.org/partner to make a gift so that others can enjoy integrating their faith and work, too!

GospelJohn 5:1-16 There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat." He answered them, "The man who made me well told me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who told you, 'Take it up and walk'?" The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, "Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you." The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath. Reflection What I love about this story is the way it reveals the intention of Jesus. His intention is not to judge or condemn, but to heal, to free. And it's just by his very intention that this can happen within a human being who is open to it. So it's a good thing to wonder about whether you believe in something as miraculous as a change within you that isn't something you achieve, but is truly a gift. The Closing prayer Father, awaken us to your heart so that we know your intention is always not to condemn, not to judge, but to heal. Open us to the multiple ways in which you miraculous heal us of our wounds. Amen.

“Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed.” John 5:25–26The most central and most glorious mystery of our faith is that of the Most Holy Trinity. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God yet three distinct Persons. As divine “Persons,” each one is distinct; but as one God, each Person acts in perfect union with the others. In today's Gospel, Jesus clearly identifies the Father in Heaven as His Father and clearly states that He and His Father are one. For this reason, there were those who wanted to kill Jesus because He “called God his own father, making himself equal to God.”The sad reality is that the greatest and most glorious truth of God's inner life, the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, was one of the primary reasons that some chose to hate Jesus and sought His life. Clearly, it was their ignorance of this glorious truth that drove them to this hatred.We call the Holy Trinity a “mystery,” not because they cannot be known but because our knowledge of Who They are can never be fully understood. For eternity, we will enter deeper and deeper into our knowledge of the Trinity and be “amazed” on a continually deepening level.One additional aspect of the mystery of the Trinity is that each one of us is called to share in Their very life. We will forever remain distinct from God; but, as many of the early Church Fathers liked to say, we must become “divinized,” meaning, we must share in God's divine life through our union of body and soul with Christ Jesus. That union also unites us with the Father and the Spirit. This truth should also leave us “amazed,” as we read in the passage above.As we continue to read this week from the Gospel of John and continue to ponder the mysterious and profound teaching of Jesus on His relationship with the Father in Heaven, it is essential that we not simply gloss over the mysterious language Jesus uses. Rather, we must prayerfully enter the mystery and allow our penetration of this mystery to leave us truly amazed. Amazement and transforming edification is the only good response. We will never fully understand the Trinity, but we must allow the truth of our Triune God to take hold of us and enrichen us, at very least, in a way that knows how much we do not know—and that knowledge leaves us in awe. Reflect, today, upon the sacred mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Pray that God reveals Himself more fully to your mind and more completely consume your will. Pray that you will be able to share deeply in the life of the Trinity so that you will be filled with a holy amazement and awe. Most holy and triune God, the love You share within Your very being of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is beyond my comprehension. The mystery of Your triune life is a mystery of the greatest degree. Draw me in, dear Lord, to the life You share with Your Father and the Holy Spirit. Fill me with wonder and awe as You invite me to share in Your divine life. Most Holy Trinity, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 80 Psalm 80 (Listen) Restore Us, O God To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm. 80   Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,    you who lead Joseph like a flock.  You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.2     Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,  stir up your might    and come to save us! 3   Restore us,1 O God;    let your face shine, that we may be saved! 4   O LORD God of hosts,    how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?5   You have fed them with the bread of tears    and given them tears to drink in full measure.6   You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,    and our enemies laugh among themselves. 7   Restore us, O God of hosts;    let your face shine, that we may be saved! 8   You brought a vine out of Egypt;    you drove out the nations and planted it.9   You cleared the ground for it;    it took deep root and filled the land.10   The mountains were covered with its shade,    the mighty cedars with its branches.11   It sent out its branches to the sea    and its shoots to the River.212   Why then have you broken down its walls,    so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?13   The boar from the forest ravages it,    and all that move in the field feed on it. 14   Turn again, O God of hosts!    Look down from heaven, and see;  have regard for this vine,15     the stock that your right hand planted,    and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.16   They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;    may they perish at the rebuke of your face!17   But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,    the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!18   Then we shall not turn back from you;    give us life, and we will call upon your name! 19   Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!    Let your face shine, that we may be saved! Footnotes [1] 80:3 Or Turn us again; also verses 7, 19 [2] 80:11 That is, the Euphrates (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Exodus 25 Exodus 25 (Listen) Contributions for the Sanctuary 25 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. 3 And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, 5 tanned rams' skins, goatskins,1 acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. The Ark of the Covenant 10 “They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits2 and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you. 17 “You shall make a mercy seat3 of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel. The Table for Bread 23 “You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 24 You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. 25 And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadth4 wide, and a molding of gold around the rim. 26 And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 27 Close to the frame the rings shall lie, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. 29 And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30 And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly. The Golden Lampstand 31 “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 33 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 35 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. 36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. 38 Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent5 of pure gold. 40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain. Footnotes [1] 25:5 Uncertain; possibly dolphin skins, or dugong skins; compare 26:14 [2] 25:10 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [3] 25:17 Or cover [4] 25:25 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters [5] 25:39 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Nehemiah 6 Nehemiah 6 (Listen) Conspiracy Against Nehemiah 6 Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem1 also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.' And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God,2 strengthen my hands. 10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” 11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live?3 I will not go in.” 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. 14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. The Wall Is Finished 15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. 19 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid. Footnotes [1] 6:6 Hebrew Gashmu [2] 6:9 Hebrew lacks O God [3] 6:11 Or would go into the temple to save his life (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Romans 15:14–33 Romans 15:14–33 (Listen) Paul the Minister to the Gentiles 14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,1 that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, 21 but as it is written,   “Those who have never been told of him will see,    and those who have never heard will understand.” Paul's Plan to Visit Rome 22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected,2 I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing3 of Christ. 30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Footnotes [1] 15:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 30 [2] 15:28 Greek sealed to them this fruit [3] 15:29 Some manuscripts insert of the gospel (ESV)

Vespers II, Evening Prayer for Monday of the 4th week in Lent, Solemnity of the St. Joseph! Thanks for praying with us, for inquiries, requests, feedback, please email singthehours@gmail.com. St. Joseph Pray for us! Follow us on Twitter @singthehours Please support this work directly through any of our funding platforms:Venmo: @singthehoursPayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=UT522UGV68ANSPatreon: patreon.com/singthehoursBy Mail: St. Paul’s Parish, attn: Paul Rose, 29 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138Check out our website at singthehours.org Deus in Adjutorium – "O God, come to my assistance" (Solemn tone, Liber Hymnarius) Hymn: "Te, Ioseph, celebrent agmina cælitum," English, translation by Edward Caswall Psalm 15 (tone VII) Psalm 112 (tone IV) Canticle: Revelation 15v3-4 (tonus peregrinus) Reading: Colossians 3v23-24 Responsory: The just man shall blossom like the lily. (StH arrangement) Canticle of Mary: Luke 1v46-55 (Latin, tone VII, see chant text below) Intercessions: Our Father in heaven, hear our prayer. (Meinrad tone[?]) The Lord's Prayer (ICEL, 2011) Concluding Prayers Dominus Nos Benedicat – "May the Lord bless us" Magníficat* ánima mea Dóminum,et exsultávit spíritus meus* in Deo salvatóre meo,quia respéxit humilitátem ancíllæ suæ.* Ecce enim ex hoc beátam me dicent omnes generatiónes,quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,* et sanctum nomen eius,et misericórdia eius in progénies et progénies* timéntibus eum.Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,* dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;depósuit poténtes de sede* et exaltávit húmiles;esuriéntes implévit bonis* et dívites dimísit inánes.Suscépit Israel púerum suum,* recordátus misericórdiæ,sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,* Abraham et sémini eius in sǽcula.Glória Patri, et Fílio,*et Spirítui Sancto.Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc et semper,*et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen. The Liturgy of the Hours (Four Volumes), ©1974, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. Readings and Old and New Testament Canticles (except the Gospel Canticles) are from the New American Bible © 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C.

With family: Exodus 31; John 10 Exodus 31 (Listen) Oholiab and Bezalel 31 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. 6 And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8 the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, 10 and the finely worked garments,1 the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.” The Sabbath 12 And the LORD said to Moses, 13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. 17 It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.'” 18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. Footnotes [1] 31:10 Or garments for worship (ESV) John 10 (Listen) I Am the Good Shepherd 10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” 19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” I and the Father Are One 22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,1 is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods'? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,' because I said, ‘I am the Son of God'? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. 40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there. Footnotes [1] 10:29 Some manuscripts What my Father has given to me (ESV) In private: Proverbs 7; Galatians 6 Proverbs 7 (Listen) Warning Against the Adulteress 7   My son, keep my words    and treasure up my commandments with you;2   keep my commandments and live;    keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;3   bind them on your fingers;    write them on the tablet of your heart.4   Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”    and call insight your intimate friend,5   to keep you from the forbidden1 woman,    from the adulteress2 with her smooth words. 6   For at the window of my house    I have looked out through my lattice,7   and I have seen among the simple,    I have perceived among the youths,    a young man lacking sense,8   passing along the street near her corner,    taking the road to her house9   in the twilight, in the evening,    at the time of night and darkness. 10   And behold, the woman meets him,    dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.311   She is loud and wayward;    her feet do not stay at home;12   now in the street, now in the market,    and at every corner she lies in wait.13   She seizes him and kisses him,    and with bold face she says to him,14   “I had to offer sacrifices,4    and today I have paid my vows;15   so now I have come out to meet you,    to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.16   I have spread my couch with coverings,    colored linens from Egyptian linen;17   I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,    aloes, and cinnamon.18   Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;    let us delight ourselves with love.19   For my husband is not at home;    he has gone on a long journey;20   he took a bag of money with him;    at full moon he will come home.” 21   With much seductive speech she persuades him;    with her smooth talk she compels him.22   All at once he follows her,    as an ox goes to the slaughter,  or as a stag is caught fast523     till an arrow pierces its liver;  as a bird rushes into a snare;    he does not know that it will cost him his life. 24   And now, O sons, listen to me,    and be attentive to the words of my mouth.25   Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;    do not stray into her paths,26   for many a victim has she laid low,    and all her slain are a mighty throng.27   Her house is the way to Sheol,    going down to the chambers of death. Footnotes [1] 7:5 Hebrew strange [2] 7:5 Hebrew the foreign woman [3] 7:10 Hebrew guarded in heart [4] 7:14 Hebrew peace offerings [5] 7:22 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew as a chain to discipline a fool (ESV) Galatians 6 (Listen) Bear One Another's Burdens 6 Brothers,1 if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load. 6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Final Warning and Benediction 11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which2 the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. Footnotes [1] 6:1 Or Brothers and sisters; also verse 18 [2] 6:14 Or through whom (ESV)

Daily Devotional Isaiah 40:31 For those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not faint.  Pastor Tom Bridges Reflection: This is my favorite passage in the Old Testament for a few different reasons. One is the imagery of soaring high, on wings like eagles. I served in the 101st Airborne Division, and our nickname is the Screamin' Eagles. Since that time, I've been fascinated by the incredible power, strength, and beauty of the eagle. The passage also holds special meaning for me, as it helped me get through a tough situation. When I was in Airborne school, I got the flu the night before a critical run had to be completed. If I did not complete the run with my class, I would have to repeat the entire week's training (trust me, I did NOT want to repeat a week of grueling training). That morning, I was sweating profusely and didn't see any possible way I could keep pace with my class for the 3-mile run.  But as I started, I began saying the words of this verse over and over. As my left foot hit the pavement, I said: "Run and not grow weary'" and as my right foot hit the pavement, I said (under my breath) "Walk and not faint." It was only the power of God that got me through that morning. I was sick as a dog. But I leaned on the power of prayer, on the power of Scripture, and on the power of the Holy Spirit, and God was good. And God still is!  Prayer: Lord, Help us to lean upon you for strength; may we run and not be weary, and may we walk and not faint. Amen. .  https://www.findnewhope.com  Our staff and leadership employ what's called the “S.O.A.P. Method”. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. Each day, we read one or two chapters of Scripture and focus on one particular verse. We make some observations about how that verse touches us, discern how it applies to our lives, and offer a prayer related to what we have read. - Rev. Dr. Vicki Harrison -- Donate via PayPal to support the podcasts and the Technical Arts Ministry of New Hope! https://goo.gl/o2a9oU Subscribe at: http://www.findnewhope.com/soap (813) 689-4161 keywords: devotional, bible study

4 Lent First Psalm: Psalm 89:1–18 Psalm 89:1–18 (Listen) I Will Sing of the Steadfast Love of the Lord A Maskil1 of Ethan the Ezrahite. 89   I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;    with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.2   For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;    in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”3   You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;    I have sworn to David my servant:4   ‘I will establish your offspring forever,    and build your throne for all generations.'” Selah 5   Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,    your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!6   For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?    Who among the heavenly beings2 is like the LORD,7   a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,    and awesome above all who are around him?8   O LORD God of hosts,    who is mighty as you are, O LORD,    with your faithfulness all around you?9   You rule the raging of the sea;    when its waves rise, you still them.10   You crushed Rahab like a carcass;    you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.11   The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;    the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.12   The north and the south, you have created them;    Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.13   You have a mighty arm;    strong is your hand, high your right hand.14   Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;    steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.15   Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,    who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,16   who exult in your name all the day    and in your righteousness are exalted.17   For you are the glory of their strength;    by your favor our horn is exalted.18   For our shield belongs to the LORD,    our king to the Holy One of Israel. Footnotes [1] 89:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 89:6 Hebrew the sons of God, or the sons of might (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 89:19–52 Psalm 89:19–52 (Listen) 19   Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one,1 and said:    “I have granted help to one who is mighty;    I have exalted one chosen from the people.20   I have found David, my servant;    with my holy oil I have anointed him,21   so that my hand shall be established with him;    my arm also shall strengthen him.22   The enemy shall not outwit him;    the wicked shall not humble him.23   I will crush his foes before him    and strike down those who hate him.24   My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,    and in my name shall his horn be exalted.25   I will set his hand on the sea    and his right hand on the rivers.26   He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,    my God, and the Rock of my salvation.'27   And I will make him the firstborn,    the highest of the kings of the earth.28   My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,    and my covenant will stand firm2 for him.29   I will establish his offspring forever    and his throne as the days of the heavens.30   If his children forsake my law    and do not walk according to my rules,331   if they violate my statutes    and do not keep my commandments,32   then I will punish their transgression with the rod    and their iniquity with stripes,33   but I will not remove from him my steadfast love    or be false to my faithfulness.34   I will not violate my covenant    or alter the word that went forth from my lips.35   Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;    I will not lie to David.36   His offspring shall endure forever,    his throne as long as the sun before me.37   Like the moon it shall be established forever,    a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah 38   But now you have cast off and rejected;    you are full of wrath against your anointed.39   You have renounced the covenant with your servant;    you have defiled his crown in the dust.40   You have breached all his walls;    you have laid his strongholds in ruins.41   All who pass by plunder him;    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.42   You have exalted the right hand of his foes;    you have made all his enemies rejoice.43   You have also turned back the edge of his sword,    and you have not made him stand in battle.44   You have made his splendor to cease    and cast his throne to the ground.45   You have cut short the days of his youth;    you have covered him with shame. Selah 46   How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?    How long will your wrath burn like fire?47   Remember how short my time is!    For what vanity you have created all the children of man!48   What man can live and never see death?    Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah 49   Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,    which by your faithfulness you swore to David?50   Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,    and how I bear in my heart the insults4 of all the many nations,51   with which your enemies mock, O LORD,    with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed. 52   Blessed be the LORD forever!      Amen and Amen. Footnotes [1] 89:19 Some Hebrew manuscripts godly ones [2] 89:28 Or will remain faithful [3] 89:30 Or my just decrees [4] 89:50 Hebrew lacks the insults (ESV) Old Testament: Jeremiah 16:10–21 Jeremiah 16:10–21 (Listen) 10 “And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?' 11 then you shall say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the LORD, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, 12 and because you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me. 13 Therefore I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.' The Lord Will Restore Israel 14 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' 15 but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.' For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers. 16 “Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the LORD, and they shall catch them. And afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks. 17 For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes. 18 But first I will doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.” 19   O LORD, my strength and my stronghold,    my refuge in the day of trouble,  to you shall the nations come    from the ends of the earth and say:  “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies,    worthless things in which there is no profit.20   Can man make for himself gods?    Such are not gods!” 21 “Therefore, behold, I will make them know, this once I will make them know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the LORD.” (ESV) New Testament: Romans 7:1–12 Romans 7:1–12 (Listen) Released from the Law 7 Or do you not know, brothers1—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.2 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. 4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.3 The Law and Sin 7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Footnotes [1] 7:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 4 [2] 7:2 Greek law concerning the husband [3] 7:6 Greek of the letter (ESV) Gospel: John 6:1–15 John 6:1–15 (Listen) Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 6 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii1 worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. Footnotes [1] 6:7 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer (ESV)

Siv Ashley has a survival story. From a child captured and enslaved in Cambodia, she loses her family and then escapes to Thailand. Rescued in the mountains by an American soldier, this faith story continues as part two of this podcast shares the miraculous hand of God who never let Siv go. Faith in Christ was instilled from her father at an early age and is the underlying key of this incredible journey to and now in, the United States of America. *** Kimberly Hobbs   Welcome to Empowering Lives with Purpose. And I'm your host, Kimberly Hobbs, I am founder of Women World Leaders. We are so grateful that you have decided to join in with us today. Today we have part two of the Siv Ashley story which is an incredible story of faith of survival. And we are just so grateful to be able to share with you today Siv's story. Siv welcome, Siv Ashley   Thank you, thank you for having me. And as a blessing to be on this show. Kimberly Hobbs   Amen, amen I love, love the joy and are the people that come on to be interviewed because to share their God's story. It is so joyful to them just to be able to help you and encourage you the listener that you are not alone in many things in your life. And even though we walk through different valleys, we walk through different storms. And our stories look very different. There is a thread that runs through that by sharing our God's stories with the world and gives others hope. And that's why so many of our guests come on here so joyful because they know where their hope lies, and they have seen it alive in their life. And sieve has seen how her strong faith got her through a time that we can't even comprehend in our lives that can be endured by a person. So we're gonna share with you a little bit about it to recap what has happened and how Civ got to America. So at first I want to just share a little bit about Civ who's from Hampton Ville, North Carolina. And then prior to that she was from Cambodia. Sylvia Ashley began her life as a normal child in an average happy family in Cambodia. She was surrounded by loving family members. And on April 6 1975, everything changed for her. Read soldiers came in and evacuated her family with 1000s of Cambodians and they were marched to camps to work in the government rice fields. Children had to work over 12 hours a day. They were fed only rice and water to live and nearly starved to death. Sieve witnessed red soldiers killed countless children and also adults. For four years sieve faced the possibility of eminent death daily herself. civs father clung to faith no matter what happened to him, no matter what he saw, no matter what he endured, and reminded sieve God is always with you sieve if you believe it with all your heart. He stressed to her about faith, seven doors, faith and prayers. And that is what helped her survive against all odds. Today sieve is going to share her story of faith and survival with you. Siv, you are going to recap right now about your story. So those that may have missed out on part one can hear a little bit about your story before you go we go into part two. So be ready. The story is incredible. And remarkable to me. Just powerful Civ Go ahead. Let's hear your story. Siv Ashley   Well, thank you for having me, Kimberly. Part one, I was talking about, you know the story of my life. And it it started out with my father going from a country town to a capital meeting with a missionary and, and I at that moment he accepted Christ as his personal Savior. I heard it one time. Jesus Christ is a beautiful name. And he came home to us and he applied that to us and and during that time when he did and we all accepted Christ and a family of five plus the grandmother and so and my father, and so we was a happy family. ain't gonna be okay. But the red soldiers came in the poor port soldier. And they separate our family, not just our family, everybody else, children was being separated the kid, I was in a concentration camp with my brother, being a little boy, instead of a little girl. Because my dad cut my hair and so that all can be not being seen as a little girl. And so during the camp, if we were good, we was being able to go see the adult camp to, to visit your parents or your loved one. And each time when I visit the camp, each one of my family have passed away, either tortured to death or beaten to death. And the last time was my dad, my dad have been beaten and am shot at one of his leg as I can see it. And I will be just wondering what he gonna do. I mean, what what are we gonna take care of me who's going to take care of me. And he keeps telling me Believe in the Lord Jesus class. And one day, you will go to a place called America. And that his fight, which is so strong, and he died in prison. And during this time, I was, didn't know what to do. I want to hurt myself, I want to kill myself. I don't want to live anymore. Why should that, but I keep remembering my dad keeps saying keeping your faith, you keep your faith, I still have a brother that are in a sick care, that are just not going to make it. And then a group of people came up to us and said, If you want to escape the camp, you better leave tonight. And if you have some loved one, you need to and in the in the camp where you can just actually can leave that night if you can go get your brother. And so I didn't see the body of my brother. And so I pray about it. And I pray really hard. And God gave me a sign to leave. So I left with a group of people got to a place called Sam NiP. Is is mountain war between Thailand and Cambodia. And that's when I was rescued by one this man I don't know what his name is. All I know is a beautiful, beautiful and his shoulder. Red, White and Blue. snores all around it. And he was he was so kind. He was taking me to a refugee camp. At that moment, I knew his mind Angel. And I bought me the refugee camp in Thailand. During Thailand, I was united with my my aunt. And she said, we're gonna go to a place called America and in the church, and then in that thing 79 A church in Jefferson United Methodist Church decided to bought a family not just anywhere, a family from Cambodia. Wow, with God. I hope things possible. Yes, you work a mysterious way. And he bought God bought our family to Jefferson United Methodist Church, and that thing's 79. And at this time, I was back 15 years old. And my birthday was on September 5 18. And I came in July, so they have to put me in school. Wow, wow. Yeah, that's how I was at, you know, but to their and that's what's important too, that we en that we came to a safe home in America. Kimberly Hobbs   Amen. Amen. As much as you endured sieve and, and honestly if you go back to part one, you will hear all the details of what she endured because it it's on comprehendible that a person can endure what sieved did as a child as a child. But God said when you need courage, don't be afraid for I am with you. Don't be discouraged for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you I will hold you up my with my victorious right hand. That's Isaiah 4110. He holds all of us up with his victorious right hand. Sieve he held you up in times where you just wanted you said You didn't want to live anymore. But from somewhere that strength kept pouring into you pouring into you because God knew there is a plan and a purpose that He created you for. Just like our listeners, there is a plan and a purpose listeners that God has created you for. Do not give up. Don't be discouraged. Don't be afraid God is with you. And so as you came to America, this family, God provided them for you. He allowed them to pay and help with money to give you a life here in America, you went to church. So now that you're in America, 15 years old, you'd started to give us a glimpse that you had to go to school? And can you tell us what you thought about America? What What? What was it like when you first got here? Siv Ashley   Well, um, I started a school and kindergarten I was 15 years old. Never been in school before and never hold a pencil never know what what you know, anything is I have to learn ABC 123. Well, my very first book that I read was in the Bible, because I didn't know how to read. But my very first book was run Spot Run over and over and over fine too. And so I learned at the age of 15, and coming going from within six years, I was able to graduate from kindergarten all the way to high school. And then I was able to go to college, and I went to college. And yeah, and went to college got a two years degree, Hotel Restaurant Management, and got art degree as well and to a degree and I was able to get hell a job in Boone, North Carolina, restaurant managers, and I was making money and I was doing really well and I was looking at the cultures of how American culture is and how beautiful it is and and everything else and at this moment my focus was making much more money to live a good life and an hour just but I was just really upset steel and did not know what to do. I want to hurt myself sometime because I just like, you know, I don't know what uses it by making all this money and all that. And then I look at other people that have a family that loving family and and all that and at this moment I was going up teenagers and now I want to think that American culture is God and look at why boys like girls and girl like why what's wrong with me and I were just hanging on in the long crowds and and just didn't care. And at this moment, I would just forget about God. And, and, and when I forgot about God, I would just like the stress again and just going from one end to another and just want to in my life again at this time and just yeah Kimberly Hobbs   it was it was I can't imagine you know like now that you're here you're free in America and you are integrated into society a new society a new culture, the pain and the trauma from your past had to be dealt with and you were hurting you were running you wanted to end your life again. And you started running far away from God because of the you know the anger and the different things in your heart that you know you forgot about him so So can you talk about Civ that how did guy get your attention to get back on track when you forgot about him? Siv Ashley   You know, I thought about at this point, were my life just 90 degree turn. And I forgot about God and we're just like, God, did you just don't love me anymore? And one day, I was just running on a streak and I was just like going around and, and at that time were the person I was dating is my husband now. And he texts me and he said, you know, you need to turn back to God and you need God directions. And that was Masane, saying, you know, I need to get back to God. And, and I thought about the scripture that I open up, and that in my Bible and, and in Matthew tablatures 14, where Peter glade gaze into Jesus, when he was walking in a water and fan, when he lose his love fate, what happened to Peter, he fell in the water. And every one of us are like, Peter, we got all these little thing. And then, and then what, what the next thing we need to do is that we just forget about God, and we just don't know that, that God has been holding on to us all these time. So I thought about that scripture over and over and reading about eater, and God pull my attention and say, Look, serve are protected you for all this time. And I bought you to America for a reason that tells a story about me. I just go and over and over. And then I began, and then the church car for me. And the chart responds to us. Call for me. And got me to speak for the first time at that turn. That's awesome. Wow, wow. Kimberly Hobbs   So God started getting your attention. And the Lord God is merciful and forgiving, forgiving, even though we've rebelled against Him. That's Daniel nine, nine, even though you are far from God, he never was far from you. And he kept getting your attention. And when you went into that street to take your life, your husband shows up and all of a sudden he's he was that sign again, that you need that faith back in God, you need to turn to him serve. And I love that and all the way through to church, you know, they, they've heard your story they're asking you to speak. Ladies, there's so much so much healing when we speak out loud when we share our stories when we write our stories and share it with others and serve had that opportunity. So sieve what began inside of you through sharing your story and speaking it out loud in the different churches that you were called to. Siv Ashley   So when God called me and my first church was Detroit that sponsor me and ask begin to tell my story. And when I begin to tell my story about how I God rescue me, from Cambodia to America, and I feel that we leave just came all over me I said no matter what, God loved me, no matter what anybody said anything to anybody else don't love me, God loved me man, like John 316 That my father always reminded me about that. And so ever since that, I've been going from one chart to another and to do mission work and I've been going from from state to stay speak at women's conference. I was God call me for all this to share. And, and and from from United State to out of the country to share my story and to around the world to women that are been beaten and then then abused then Amy Cana and they hurt to store it and that's what God wanted me. Every cent that I have been we leave out of you know, you just have that burden sometime. And you just feel that we leave every cent that and just it's just like God never forgot about me. It was me that forgot about him. Yes, yes, that Peter. So yeah. Kimberly Hobbs   Wow. Exactly. And God was protecting you all the way through this, but he was building you to that calling that he had on your life. And so different people would come in asking you to speak and share, like you said, women's conferences, you're speaking at churches, you're sharing and the Scripture, Revelation 1211, they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony. And as you grew in strength, as God poured that strength into you serve, and you were able to proclaim the story that God gave you, you were able to overcome what was trying to pull you away from God, you overcame the enemy. And I love that so. So now, God's Word says, You have allowed me to suffer hardships, but you will restore me and lift me to life again, and lift me from the depths of the earth, you will receive, store me to even greater honor and comfort to me once again, that Psalm 7120 to 21. And listeners that are hearing that verse applies to you that scripture applies to sieve, all of us because we've all suffered hardships, right. And God is a restoring God, He wants to bring us back to the fullness of Him and Him in our life. We just have to surrender to Him and be willing to go where He sends us and you are on the mission field sieve. I love it. I love it. So everybody has a story. Some of us have suffering stories. And if there's those of you listening right now that are suffering, you've heard sieves, part one and two, which is an incredible powerful story. Civ. There is the listener right now that is suffering. She wants to hear a word she's praying for a word. Are you praying right now ladies? Are you praying for that word of encouragement, sieve, pour into her that word of encouragement from your heart right now that is advice to help them through their time of suffering right now and even pray with them if you so feel led? Siv Ashley   You know, I'm all the listener out there. And I want you all to know that God never forget about you. We forget about God. And my encouragement is that the first thing you need to do, open your Bible. That's what that's what the Bible is for. And open that Bible and read a scripture. And it all will come to you at that moment. Like I said, you know, in Romans 828. And we know that we all doing our work together for good to them that love God, and to them that who are called according to His purpose. Yes. Ah, that treasures that verse to me. And when that moment come, God will put your life in a place that you will never imagine. And God knows you before you even born in your mother's wounds. And so, in that and out, can I pray for y'all right now, just to say, thank you all for listening. Okay, and thank you, God, Father, although we're in heaven, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. On our side, this is heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread. And forgive us those treasures passes against us, will deliver us from the evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. And thank you, Jesus for teaching us how to pray this pray, lore. I pray for the one right now that are hurting and the one that are suffering on all sorts of thing. But if we can just think about what you suffer for us, that you gave your life to us. Beaten and hurting spurred on and all the boosts the scar that you've gone through just for Cinder, like me. Know, thank you for giving your Son, Jesus Christ to us that we can look up in heaven. I say, lor, thank you for saving a worthless like me. In Jesus name, I pray in the precious name in your holy name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Kimberly Hobbs   That's so beautiful. Thank you. So thank you for sharing from your heart. And God's Word says, Call on me when you're in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory. That's Psalm 50, verse five, rescue me and you will give me glory. And this is civs life right now she has given back to the Lord and complete surrender, to give Him the glory, for rescuing her life from saving her from sin, forgiving her sin and bringing her to this new life in Christ. Revelation 21 Five says, Behold, I am making everything new. And he did that in sieves life, it was a journey. She had to endure so many things. I'm sure if you ask her that through her story. If one person accepted Jesus as their Savior because of it, she would endure it all over again. Because that's the value that Civ has. In her salvation. She knows who her savior is, she knows who she serves and lives for. And we pray that for you that you have that faith, that faith that God talks about in his work, that if you have that faith of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain to be cast in the sea, and it will be done. We can't comprehend that. So what is your mountain? What is that overwhelming fear or trouble that you're going through right now? God wants your faith, your faith in him that only He can do it. And he will strengthen you and equip you to go on and press on and get through it will get saved. Look at her life, what she endured things that us we can't even comprehend what this child endured. Growing up in the memory she had to deal with with losing every buddy she loved everybody and being beat and hurt herself. She endured because God gave her the strength. And she kept hearing the word faith that her father instilled in her believe Civ believe Civ. Oh, dear Lord, we are so grateful. So grateful for your mercies that are new every day. Save any closing word you want to share with the ladies, tell them how they that they can receive your book. A teenager's survival, it's beautiful. Yeah. How can they receive that? Siv Ashley   The book will tell a little bit more details into my life. You can receive that book from Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. And I believe it's like $11. That's it. And most of the poussette BOCES go into the mission fields. And well, actually, the whole thing go into mission. So yeah, you can go through their Amazon and there'll be a Barnes and Noble to get them and I'm a warrant encouragement. Look, everyone listening right now. Just don't look behind you. Look for to God, what he can give you. Because when you look behind is always sad. Live in front of you. With God. Always. Always with you. He always never doubt. Never doubt he loves you. Love you. And if y'all need to get in touch with me or need to talk to me. I'll be there for you. You can You know, going sieve Ashley srv.ashley@aol.com, and shoot me an email, you want to go to my website, WWE dot save ashley.com Shoot me an email, I'll get to you as soon as I can. And we all I'm there to help you Kimberly's there to help you with the war woman, website and any anything that we can help you we'll be happy to shoot you back an email or even give you a car. And don't worry, look for them one of you will God, how so much for you to ask Kimberly Hobbs   Amen. You are so lovely, Siv. And I'm just thankful that we've become sisters in Christ. I think thankful that you are part of women, world leaders and listeners, this is the heart of the women that are within this ministry. They just want to be there and help you. We were all going through different things. And, you know, just hardships are no respecter of persons, they happen and they hit us all. But we need that community to come around us. And that's who we are at women, world leaders, we come around you and inspire you encourage you try to support you how we can through things that you go through. But we have opportunities here for all of you to serve, and be a part and plug in to this wonderful, amazing ministry that God has provided. And there's different ways you can connect with us through zoom. We have leadership Connect meetings every every month, please go to our website at women world leaders.com. And check out how you can get involved in the ministry. We'll reach out to you we want you here we want you to be a part. It is fun to serve God together from where we are all over the world right Civ like, wow, he's connecting us in all these different countries. So please just Just don't be afraid. Just reach out, step out. If God is nudging your heart right now, just be a part come on board with us. And remember with God all things are possible. You may not feel worthy, you may not feel you may have be self conscious, so who knows what's holding you back. But pray and ask God to help you through that and then plug in with us be part of us. We're on Facebook. You can follow us that way. We have devotions every day on our website, there's things that you can do that will keep you engaged. And these podcasts are available to you every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through women world leaders podcast. So please just join in. We are in all different platforms all over the world. We're in 70 countries and we are thankful that God is propelling his message of truth throughout the world. So ladies, thank you again, sieve Ashley, thank you for being with us today ladies, from his heart to yours. We are women world leaders all content is copyrighted by women world leaders and cannot be used without expressed written consent. God bless you all and have the most beautiful day.

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 79 Psalm 79 (Listen) How Long, O Lord? A Psalm of Asaph. 79   O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;    they have defiled your holy temple;    they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.2   They have given the bodies of your servants    to the birds of the heavens for food,    the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.3   They have poured out their blood like water    all around Jerusalem,    and there was no one to bury them.4   We have become a taunt to our neighbors,    mocked and derided by those around us. 5   How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever?    Will your jealousy burn like fire?6   Pour out your anger on the nations    that do not know you,  and on the kingdoms    that do not call upon your name!7   For they have devoured Jacob    and laid waste his habitation. 8   Do not remember against us our former iniquities;1    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,    for we are brought very low.9   Help us, O God of our salvation,    for the glory of your name;  deliver us, and atone for our sins,    for your name's sake!10   Why should the nations say,    “Where is their God?”  Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants    be known among the nations before our eyes! 11   Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;    according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!12   Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors    the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!13   But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,    will give thanks to you forever;    from generation to generation we will recount your praise. Footnotes [1] 79:8 Or the iniquities of former generations (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Exodus 24 Exodus 24 (Listen) The Covenant Confirmed 24 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. 2 Moses alone shall come near to the LORD, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.” 3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules.1 And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.” 4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. 6 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” 8 And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” 9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank. 12 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.” 15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Footnotes [1] 24:3 Or all the just decrees (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Nehemiah 5 Nehemiah 5 (Listen) Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor 5 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.” 6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them 8 and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold1 of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. Nehemiah's Generosity 14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration2 forty shekels3 of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expense4 for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. Footnotes [1] 5:13 Hebrew bosom [2] 5:15 Compare Vulgate; Hebrew took from them for food and wine after [3] 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams [4] 5:18 Or prepared for me (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Romans 15:1–13 Romans 15:1–13 (Listen) The Example of Christ 15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles 8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,   “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,    and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said,   “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again,   “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,    and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says,   “The root of Jesse will come,    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;  in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (ESV)